Folding washbench



(No Model.) zsheets sheet 1. G. H. NICELEY.

FOLDING WASHBBNCH.

No. 584,516. Patented June 15.1897.

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G H NIGELEY FOLDING WASHBENCH.

[1 3a l ior awffgfl ibe Patented June 15.1897.

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llwrrnn STATES PATENT @rricn,

GEORGE I-I. NICELEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING WASHBENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,516, dated June 15, 1897.

Application filed September 12, 1896. Serial No. 605,648. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. NICELEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Folding \Vashbench, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding washbenches; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful bench of this character, not only providing means for the convenient support of washtubs, but also providing a basket for clothes for use in connection with and without an ironing-board adapted foruse in connection with the bench.

The invention also contemplates a 0011- struction of Washbench capable of being readily folded and unfolded and which when folded will occupy a comparatively small compass.

With these and other objects in view,which will readilyappear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding washbench constructed in accordance with this invention, the frames forming the slatted clothes-loasket being unfolded and assembled. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the bench, showing the basket-frame folded to adapt the bench simply for the support of washtubs. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the bench, showing the clothes-basket set up for use and the parts adapted for the support of an ironing-board. Fig. 5 is an end view of the ironing-board. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the washbench with the sides thereof folded to gether.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the central upright supportingframe, essentially comprising the opposite parallel vertical frame-standards 2, connected near their lower ends by a transverse crossbar 3 and having suitablyfitted to their lower extremities, below the cross-bar 3, oppositelyextending supporting-feet 4, which provide for the firm support of the upright frame 1 on the floor. At a point intermediate of their upper and lower ends the upright framestandards 2 have suitably secured to their outer sides the horizontal bracket-bars 5, extending beyond opposite sides of the frame 1, and having pivotally connected thereto, by means of the pivot screws or pins 6, the inner ends of the parallel side bars 7 of the op posite folding bench-wings 8, arranged, respectively, at opposite sides of the central upright frame 1. The bench-wings at opposite sides of the frame 1 essentially consist of the'parallel side bars '7, the inner ends of which are pivoted to the ends of the bracketbars 5, and the outer unpivoted ends of the bars 7 of the bench-wings 8 have pivotally connected thereto, by means of the pivotscrews 9, the upper ends of the upright legs 10 of the outer folding leg-frames 11. The outer folding leg-frames 11, pivotally connected with the swinging ends of the bench- Wings 8, essentially comprise the vertical legs 10 and a plurality of transverse brace-bars 12, connecting the oppositely-located legs 10, and the lowermost transverse brace-bars 12 of the folding leg-frames 11 pivotally engage with the outer-perforated ends 15 of the swinging spacing-bars 14, the inner ends of which are pivotally secured in the bifurcated extremities 15 of a stationary bracket-cleat 16, fitted on the lower frame cross-bar 3 and disposed at right angles thereto in line with the disposition of the swinging spacing-bars 14:.

The parts just described substantially complete the construction of the oppositely-located tub-supports, it beingv observed that when the folding bench-wings 8 are swung downward until they assume the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings the swinging spacing-bars 14L will unfold the leg-frames 11 outward and hold the same locked in an upright position to provide for supporting the outer end of the bench-wings 8, which are then in a proper position for supporting the tubs at opposite sides of the central upright supporting-frame 1. l/Vhen the bench is not in use, the opposite bench-wings 8 are folded upwardly and inwardly against opposite sides of the central frame 1, and as the said bench-wings are thus moved the spacing-bars'l l cause the leg-frames 11 to fold inwardly against the under sides of the benchwings, and the parts, when folded together in the manner described, are secured in their folded positions by the fastening-hooks 17, pivotally connected at one end, as at 18, to the legs 10 of one of the leg-fram es and adapted to detachably engage at their other ends with the eyes or keepers 19, fitted to the legs 10 of the oppositely-located leg-frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In connection with the folded positions of the opposite bench-wings and their folded legframes it is to be observed at this point that the side bars 7 of one of the beuch-wings are adapted to be folded against beveled or inclined rest-faces 20, formed at one side edge of the upright frame-standards 2, to provide for disposing the said bench-wing at the proper angle for the support of an ironingboard to be presently referred to.

One of the opposite folding-bench wings 8 is provided with a slatted floor 21, comprising a series of transverse slats 22, connecting the opposite side bars 7 of said bench-wing at their under sides, and said slatted floor 21 forms the bottom of a clothes-basket essentially comprising the oppositely-located folding side frames 23 and a folding end frame 24. The side and end frames 23 and 24 are substantially duplicates in construction and consist of parallel frame-cleats 25 and a series of regularly-spaced frame-slats 26, secured to and connecting the said cleats 25-, and the side frames 23 are hinged at their lower edges, as at 27, to the inner sides of the oppositelylocated side bars 7, above the floor 21, and the said opposite side frames 23 are respectively hinged at one edge in different planes, so that the same can fold inwardly and flatly one on top of the other between the side bars to which they are hinged, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, so as to form a bottom for one of the bench-wings, as will be obvious.

When the opposite side frames 23 of the clothes-basket are folded upwardly and outwardly, the inner ends of such side wings are adapted to rest Within the inclined rabbeted stop-blocks 28, secured to opposite sides of the upright frame standards 2, said stopblocks 28 serving to limit the outward ad justment of the side frames 23 and holding the same in a slightly-inclined position, so that the basket will have an upwardlyflaring shape, and therefore an increased capacity for holding clothes. The said inner ends of the side frames 23, resting within and against the blocks 28, have fitted thereto the hookreceiving eyes 29, adapted to be engaged by the fastening-hooks 1'7, carried by the legframe of the bench-wing which rests against the inclined rest-faces 20, said hooks 17 therefore serving to hold one of the bench-wings in its upright folded position and also to hold the side frames 23 of the clothes-basket in their upright unfolded positions. The side frames 23 of the clothes-basket are adapted to receive between their outer ends, beyond the central upright frame 1, the end frame 24, one of the frame-cleats 25 of which is pivotally fitted at its extremities, as at 30, between the side bars '7, supporting the slatted floor 21, at the outer ends of such side bars. The folding end frame 24 of the clothes-basket, when swung upwardly between the outer ends of the side frames 23, engages against the stop-blocks 31, fitted to the inner sides of the frames 23 at their upper outer ends, and near their upper outer ends the said side frames 23 also have connected therewith one end of the fasteninghooks 32, the other ends of which hooks are adapted to detachably engage with the pins or studs 33, projected from the upper edge of the folding end frame 24, to provide, in connection with the hooks 32, for fastening the side and end frames together. The said end frame 24 is of an upwardly-flaring shape, so as to register between the side frames 23 when the latter are unfolded. To complete the clothes-basket, the central upright supporting-frame l is provided with a slatted side portion 34, disposed opposite the basket end frame 24, to form one of the ends of the clothesbasket when the frames 23 and 24 are assembled together in their unfolded positions. With the clothes-basket set up for use and the oppositely-located bench-wing secured in its folded inclined position, as illustrated, the folding leg-frame of said bench-wing is designed for the support of an ironing-board 35 of the usual tapered form, provided on its under side, at the small end thereof, with a pair of securing-cleats 36, adapted to receive therebetween an intermediate one of the transverse brace-bars 12 of the said leg-frame of the folded upright bench-Wing. By this combination of parts the ironing-board 35 can be employed in connection with the clothesbasket of the washbench. The ironing-board 35 is supported at its outer end, beyond the leg-frame to which it is connected, by a folding crossed-leg frame 36, provided at the upper extremities of its crossed legs 37 with a hinge-cleat 39, hinged at one edge, as at 40, to the under side of the board 35. The said leg-frame 36 is secured in its unfolded position to support the outer end of the ironingboard by means of a fastening-hook 41, pivotally connected at one end, as at 42, to the leg-frame 36, and detachably engaging with a staple-eye 43, secured in the under side of the board 35, near one extremity thereof.

The various parts of the washbench may be used in the manner described or in any Way desired, as may be found convenient in washing and ironing clothes, and at this point it will be observed that when the washbench is not in use and folded, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the same occupies a coniparatively small compass and may be placed in the corner of a room or other convenient place entirely out of the way. With the washbench folded as described and as illustrated in Fig. 6 it will be understood that the leg-frame 36 of the ironing-board may be folded fiat against the under side of the latter and the said ironing-board placed upright with its large end downward and arranged to rest against the folded washbench, so as to be handy for use with the washbench and at the same time out of the way. I11 connection with the use of the ironing-board the same may conveniently be supported by one of the transverse brace-bars 12 of one of the leg-frames 11, as already described, but when the entire washbench is in use the ironingboard may be used independently thereof and clamped or otherwise suitably supported at one edge of a table.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. In a washbench, a central upright supporting'frame having opposite frame-standards provided at one side edge with beveled or inclined rest-faces, folding bench-wings arranged at opposite sides of the central frame and one of which wings is adapted to fold up against said inclined restfaces, a clothes-basket comprising folding side and end frameshinged to one of the bench-wings, and a detachable connection between the side frames of the clothes-basket and the benchwing that folds against said inclined restfaces, said latter bench-wing providing for the support of one end of an ironing-board, substantially as set forth.

2. In a washbench, a central upright supporting-frame provided with a closely-slatted side portion 34:, folding bench-wings arranged at opposite sides of the central frame and one of which wings is provided with a closelyslatted floor, and a series of folding frames hinged to the wing having the slatted floor and adapted to be assembled in an upright position to form jointly with the slatted frame portion 34 a collapsible clothes-basket, substantially as set forth.

8. In a washbench, a central upright supporting-frame having a slatted side portion and inclined stop-blocks at opposite upper sides thereof, folding bench-wings arranged at opposite sides of the central frame and one of which wings is provided with a slatted floor, oppositely-located folding slatted side frames hinged at their lower edges to'opposite sides of the wing having the slatted floor and adapted to be folded inwardly one on top of the other over said floor and to be unfolded outwardly With their inner ends rest ing against said stop-blocks, a slatted end frame hinged at one edge at the outer end of the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. NIOELEY. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. NEILL, CARL S. HOLBERG. 

